Multicolor pencil



Patented Nov. 27, 1934 v PATENT OFFICE MULTICOLOR PENCIL Kesao Kiinura, Terajimacho, Mukojimaku,

- Tokyo, Japan Application 'July 3, 1933, Serial No. 678,906

In Japan May 23, 1933 4'Glaims. (01. 120-14) This information relates generally to pencils and particularly to multicolor pencils.

The main object of this invention is the provision of a lead pencil containing aplurality of variously colored leads and including a means whereby any one of these leads may be moved to a writing position or adjusted with regard to the length of the writing point.

The second object is the construction of a penl0 cil of the type referred-to which will be exceed-- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the pencil showing a portion thereof broken away in longitudinal sections.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section showing a portion of the pencil head broken away.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the tubular feed screw, showing a portion of its surrounding sleeve. I

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the pilot'tube showing the middle portion thereof broken away to. disclose the construction thereof.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the holder for lea s.

Similar numbers of reference refer to the same orrsimil'ar parts throughout the several views.

/Before entering into a description'of this in- 40 vention it must be understood that multicolor pencils have been constructed in which it was necessary to operate the feed screw in opposite directions by reason of the fact that the screw spiral was not continuous, and in which any excessive rotation applied to the screw, after its end had been reached was very apt to destroy the necessarily delicate mechanism of the pencil.

Other pencils have been constructed providing a special mechanism for selecting a desired pencil and moving it to or from an operative position,

and although thelatter type has certain advantages, it is necessarily difficult to operate at a satisfactory speed.

Referring in detail to the drawing, there is shown a cylindrical case 1 within which is dis-.

posed a tubular feed screw 2 provided with right and left hand spiral groove 3 which connect at their outermost ends to form a continuous groove.

A pilot tube4 is fixed within the case 1 and is provided with a plurality of longitudinal slots.

The portions of the pilot tube 4 between the slots 5 are supported by the radial webs 4A which also divide the tube 4 into'a plurality'of compartments within each of which is placed an elongated tubular holder 6 for lead 6A. 6

'To each holder 6 is attached a shoe 'l'by means of a pivot 7A. Each shoe '7 is elliptical in form and rounded in cross sections to conform with the groove 3 within which the shoe '7 must freely slide.

Secured around one end of the tubular feed screw 2 is a sleeve 8. The sleeve 8 projects beyond the end of the case 1 and has securely mounted on its projecting end a head 9. The sleeve 8 is provided with a number of small projections 10 for the purpose of preventing relative rotation between the sleeve 8 and the head 9.

One end of the pilot tube 4 is provided with an encircling flange l1 and the other end of the tube 4 is provided with a pilot tube screw 12 which is threaded through the end of the case 1 and projects therefrom. On the projecting end of the screw 12 is threaded a hollow pencil point 13 through which a lead 6A-6B--6C can project.

Between the screw 12'and the slotted portion of the pilot tube-4 is disposed a flange 14 which engages a shoulder formed around the entrance of the threaded portion of-the case 1 occupied by the screw 12.

The operation of the device is as follows:

When it is desired to move any one of the three leads 6A6B6C into a writing position, it is necessary, only, to rotate the head 9 with relation to the case 1, which will, of course, cause the shoe 7 which actuates that particular lead to move longitudinally along its s1otr"5 within the groove 3. It matters not which directionthe head 9 is rotated since the three leads follow each other in either direction and successively occupy the writing position, ..Therefore, if the head9- is roteted in one direction the sequence of the writlngpositlons of the leads will be 6A, 6B, 6C, and if operated in the opposite direction the sequence will be 6A, 6C, 63.

It can be seen that the device is not limited to three colors, this number having been employed merely for illustrative purposes. It can be seen, also, that while this pencil is adjustable it cannot be destructively adjusted for the reason that the movement is continuous and an excessive adjustment in one direction merely brings into position the next adjacent lead.

I .claim:

1. A multicolor pencil comprising a rotatable tubular feed screw having a continuous right and left hand helix formed therein, a case surround-z ing said feed screw, a slotted pilot tube secured to'said ease and extending into said screw, a lead holder slidably disposed on the inner side of each of said slots, a guide for each of said holders, 2. shoe rotatably attached to each holder, said shoe being on the outer side of said tube and adapted to engage the helix of said screw and a hollow pointed end for said case through which leads may project and a cap for said case fixed to said screw whereby same may be rotated for the purpose of moving said holders longitudinally with relation to said case.

2. A multicolor pencil comprising a cylindrical case, a tubular feed screw rotatably mounted with said case, a head attached to said screw by means of which it may be rotated, a longitudinally slotted pilot tube within said screw having a plurality of longitudinal raceways formed therein, each of said raceways having one of said lon-' gitudinal slots communicating therewith, each of said raceways having a lead holder slidably' disposed therein, each of said holders havleft hand portions extending the full length thereof and joining at the ends in order to form one continuous groove along which said shoes are earn-distantly spaced, and a hollow pencil point into which said holders can project when moved to the adjacent end of said feed screw.

3. A multicolor pencil having in combination a case, a tubular revolvable feed screw mounted within said case, said screw including a right and left hand helix the ends of which are joined to form a single continuous path around said screw, a plurality of lead holders disposed inside of said screw in parallelism therewith, each of said holders having a shoe adapted to engage said helix, each of said holders having a raceway for guiding same longitudinally within said screw, and means for rotating said screw with relation to said raceways whereby longitudinal motion may be supplied to all of said holders.

4. A multicolor pencil having in combination a case, a spirally grooved feed screw rotatably mounted within said case, said feed screw having continuous right and left hand threads formed thereon, a pilot tube within said screw and fixed to said case, said pilot tube having a. plurality of longitudinal slots formed therein, a plurality of lead holders disposed within said tube and guided thereby, each holder having a shoe extending through its respective slot and engaging the helix of said feed screw, and means for rotating said feed screw for the purpose of moving said lead holders longitudinally in a successively following direction along the length of said pencil, the various shoes being disposed'along' the length of the helix at approximately uniform distances from each other at all times.

KESAO KIMURA. 

